


If you could fly, you would never come back

by suomikan



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: Crossdressing, Fluff, Human Kaname, I really like yokai stories okay?, I use Kaname a lot but he's still HiMERU for... reasons, M/M, Rinne and Niki also make an appearance and yes they are yokai too, SO MUCH FLUFF, Self-Indulgent, Slight OOC, Yokai AU, Yokai Kohaku, and angst-sorry, could be read by itself-but it you read ehk you'll know what you're getting yourself into, takes place in feudal japan-ish, will probably add this to a series or something later..., yokai backstories tend to not have a super happy ending until later so-please keep that in mind
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-14
Updated: 2020-10-14
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:13:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27006391
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/suomikan/pseuds/suomikan
Summary: Let them fly to you through the wavering, distorted sky,These two loves that feel so close together.A story of a cowherd who finds a someone at his door asking to become his bride.(Takes place in the same universe as "Everybody Haunts Keito." Can be read by itself.)
Relationships: HiMERU/Oukawa Kohaku
Comments: 5
Kudos: 22





	If you could fly, you would never come back

**Author's Note:**

> Guess who wrote a 10k fic that isn't beta'd yet!? *Dances* Bet you didn't see that coming! Anyways I love yokai stories and AU's so guess what? Himekoha Yokai AU!! Yup, they get a 10k backstory for EHK. Thus the self-indulgent tag. So I apologize if you were looking for something more, in canon universe. But AU's are just so much fun~!
> 
> Warning that I do use 'she' for Kohaku in the beginning due to a misunderstanding but it goes back to 'he' just as quickly.
> 
> ALSO, I wrote this back in July and meant to post it for HiMERU's bday. I'm so sorry my tanabata detective son. Please forgive me.
> 
> Now without further to do, enjoy~

“Please, take me as your wife!” 

There were a lot of things Toujou Kaname expected when he first opened the door, but this wasn’t one of them. 

When the cowherd slid open the door to his small home on a cold, but beautiful spring morning he expected the villagers to be barraging him about the newborn calves, or to find out a cow devoured someone’s flower field again. He did not expect a small, petite girl, dressed all in white, standing at his door asking to marry him. 

“I’m sorry, but you have the wrong residence.” He moved to close the door but the girl was quick to block the frame. Her light, wooden geta worked to her advantage and was wedged into the door. 

“No no no, that's impossible. I’m sure this ain’t the wrong place.” The girl lowered her voice, but she was still confident. Kaname couldn’t see under the white hood she was wearing, but now that the sun was rising, he could just barely see her purple eyes peeking out. And with the way her eyelashes fluttered against her cheeks... 

‘Pretty.’ Kaname stopped and shook his head to get rid of that thought. He knew better than anyone to not get distracted by something as devious as looks. Now he just had to let this girl know he wasn't about to be fooled. 

"I don't even know you. How can I take a girl I never met as my wife? It's irrational." 

“Well, it’s ‘cause I wanna marry ya!” 

“Did you not hear what I just said?” 

“I did!” 

“Then my answer is still no.” 

The girl went silent, but her feet didn’t move an inch from the ground. Pink cherry blossoms fluttered around before landing silently on the ground in between them. Her lips scrunched together defiantly in a pout which made Kaname have to exert all his energy not to laugh. 

"Well?" 

When the cowherd didn’t receive an answer he moved to close the door. There was no use benefit in keeping the conversation alive. At least it was one story he could save for the elder ladies who brought him sweets at a later date though. That is, until his visitor threw back her wataboshi to reveal light pink hair rivaling the spring blossoms and a clear view of her lilac eyes. 

“I just- I don’t know how t'say this. But I really like ya, so could ya please take me as your bride?” 

The constant grinding of gears in Kaname’s head came to a sudden stop when he saw what was in front of him. All his skepticism was thrown out the window the moment he was face to face with a dazzling cherry blossom. He actually had to take a moment and remind himself how to breathe.

Now that there wasn’t a hood covering her face there was no denying the pink-haired girl was beautiful. Had he seen her in town with the falling cherry blossoms he might’ve admired her from afar, or maybe even ask to treat her to a meal if he was feeling brave. Any common man within his province would be lucky to have a cute girl show up on their doorstep asking them to marry her, but then again, Kaname wasn’t going to go down without a fight. 

“I barely have enough for myself, I can’t marry, much less take care of anyone who shows up at my doorstep. Go back home to your family, they must be worried about you.” 

A lie. 

But as much as that wasn't true, he really did not have enough time to spend with someone. Even _if_ they were to be married. 

Toujou Kaname did not have much. However, he did have everything he needed to survive. Food, water, shelter- all the basic human necessities were gathered in one convenient place for him. 

He was happy to live as a cowherd in the shadow of the bright, bustling village. City life lost its charm when too many problems came up, and he turned down all the offers to become a scholar at the capital's highest ranking schools and courts because of complications. Not once had he thought in a thousand years someone would want to spend the rest of their life with him. Much less show up on his doorstep dressed head to toe in a shiromuku. 

Kaname couldn’t lie. He was actually really happy he received a confession like this. A bit clumsy and poorly executed but... 

There were a few things about this situation that raised concerns. 

Although he had no business in what other people were, since Kaname was 'just a cowherd,’ he _did_ get enough of an education that would rival some of the local lords' heirs. And while Kaname did not care if this ‘girl’ didn’t show up with a dowry, (because honestly he couldn’t even afford a new kosode for himself) she came alone. Which means he doesn’t know if her family even knows she's here, and most importantly, if he could trust her. 

She also seemed to know him from somewhere, which just confused him even more. A former classmate? Someone he bumped into town? There wasn’t enough information for him to make a decision and every new thing he learns keeps adding to that mystery. It was almost exhilarating. 

A light cool wind blew causing the light pink flower petals on the floor to stir, and warm sunshine peaked through the clouds onto their feet. Just as the girl shifted the fabric covering her legs Kaname noticed something that made him raise a concerned eyebrow. 

“If that- If that’s your answer then I suppose I have no choice but to leave-” 

“Wait.” Kaname reacted before he could stop himself and reached out to grab the girl's arm startling both of them. 

Confused, bright lilac met sharp goldenrod amongst a sea of pink. "Wha-?" 

Framed by the clear blue sky Kaname’s words left his mouth before he could think. “Please come in.” 

* * *

“O-ouch...! Ouch! Did’ya not hear me you boor? It hurts!” 

“Hold still,” Kaname sighed as he returned the cloth he was holding into the water bowl. “It’ll only get worse if I don’t treat it.” 

“If I let ya treat it anymor’, it’ll hurt worse than leavin’ me out there like ya wanted!” 

The two of them had a staredown in the main room of Kaname’s home. It probably surprised Kaname more than the girl sitting on his pillow with her foot resting on the cowherd's lap. But what’s done is done, and now that he let a stranger into his house there’s no sending her out to fend for herself anymore. 

“Stop acting like a spoiled child and sit still.” Kaname forfeited the staring match and reached back to re-tie his ponytail again. His yellow eyes moved to the blisters and unusual scars she hid with her kimono. “Who lets themselves get these kinds of wounds on their feet just to walk around in this weather. You’ll get an infection.” 

“It's still better than gettin’ cut off...” His guest muttered under her breath, but Kaname made the mature decision to not take the bait. Honestly, he’d be mad too if he was in this girls position. Anyone would be after getting rejected and then suddenly being shown concern. 

Which brings him to a new discovery. Although the timing might be bad, Kaname was fascinated to find out the pink-haired bride had quite a vicious vocabulary once you caught her off guard. It was a pleasure to learn underneath all that polite-marriage talk she had _far_ more character than the villagers he interacted with on a day-by-day basis. 

He lifted her ankle higher receiving a squeak in response and grabbed a clean strip of cloth so he could start bandaging her feet. His own personal feelings aside, there was no way he was leaving anyone's wounds unattended, even if they _did_ have an awkward introduction. 

“I guess now I know the reason why you’ll go around asking anyone to marry them. It seems that you don’t even know how to take care of yourself.” Oops. Kaname didn’t mean to say that out loud. 

“That’s not true!” 

“Oh really? What is?” 

The pink-haired girl brought her leg back towards her body, carefully inspecting the bandage around her foot with scrutiny. “Not just _anyone_ would do. I only want to marry you…” 

With that sudden confession Kaname felt his face heat up, but he quickly turned his head to hide his blush. He shook his head having to remind himself he still knew nothing about this girl, and it’ll stay that way. But now that he thought about it, there was something familiar about her. Something about the way the white kimono wrapped around her body and the accents of red flushed against her skin. Those bright, lilac eyes- 

Hold that thought. He was starting to consider his guest was hiding something more beneath the layers of fabric. And since he was practically spreading ‘her’ legs earlier…! 

“Maybe I shouldn’t have asked that bug for help…” 

The blue-haired man was snapped out of thoughts before asking. “Come again?” 

The girl kept her mouth shut, sulking. 

“Well then,” Kaname finished tying the bandage knot on the bride's ankles and moved to stand up. “I guess now that I let you into my home I might as well ask what your name is.” 

Bright lilac eyes peered up at him hopefully. “My name...?” 

Kaname sighed. He’s really not making the situation easier for himself. “I mean, I can’t keep calling you ‘you’ while you rest here. Even an animal gets better treatment then that.” 

The blue-haired man jumped when two hands slammed the floor in front of him. “So ya mean you’ll marry me!?” 

“No!?” Kaname’s light yellow eyes met the girls fierce purple in a sudden panic. “I’m only letting you stay here until your feet get better. Don’t misunderstand me!” 

The pink-haired girl stared at him a little bit longer before getting onto her knees and bowed. “Ah, well... It's better than nothin’ I s’ppose. You can call me Kohaku then.” 

“I’m sorry-?” 

“Oukawa Kohaku,” The used-to-be bride repeated one more time. She lowered her head onto her hands in a way that was so graceful Kaname could've mistaken her for a daimyo's daughter. “Even though yer not takin’ me as your bride yet, let me express my gratitude for lettin’ me stay here, Kaname-han.” 

_‘Yet?’_ Kaname shook his head but he still moved closer to Kohaku so he could help her sit up without disturbing her feet. Her smaller hands were soft like feathers in comparison to his rougher ones. “Remember, it’s only until you get better. After that I’m returning you to your family.” 

The cowherd didn’t expect that comment to elicit some kind of reaction to help him figure out more about Kohaku, but the face she made when he mentioned family was full of pain and her hands trembled in fear or, maybe even something else. It was something Kaname made sure to take note of when he goes into town to investigate later. 

“Please take care of me until then.” 

* * *

After a mentally grueling game of ‘No we’re not married, we’re just living together,’ and ‘Don’t take off those bandages,’ or ‘I’ll have to restrain you,’ it was already well into the afternoon and Kaname still hasn’t done a single job as the village cowherd. 

While he was making a list of the most important things to do and what order he heard the pink-haired girl try to stand up again only to topple over like a deer scare. 

Kohaku was lucky Kaname was able to catch her before she fell face first onto the tatami, but he also had to deal with the issue of the bride not being able to walk in platform geta after he bandaged her feet. And trust him, every time he saw Kohaku try to get up before this was frighteningly similar to looking after a newborn calf because her legs would shake like tree branches. 

The cowherd shifted the girl in his arms so he could support the majority of her weight. The layers of the shiromuku were heavy, and it’d be bad to put more pressure on the cuts. Still, Kaname had a bunch of animals he needed to keep out of people yards or he’ll drown in complaints for the next week. Maybe he’ll get lucky and the gods will prevent the herd from getting into trouble for one day. 

All of this was put to the side when he heard Kohaku clear her throat. “Uhm, Kaname-han.” 

"Yes?" 

-han? Kaname noted the accent and shifted Kohaku closer to his chest. Even though there were a lot of layers of fabric between them, it still did nothing to hide-! 

When Kaname looked down to check why Kohaku didn't say anymore he was greeted with bright red blossoming over her cheeks. 

_Oh_. 

"I'm sorry." Kaname let go of Kohaku and stepped back. 

"No, it's okay." Kohaku brushed off the front of her shiromuku but still refused to meet goldenrod eyes. The bride slowly sat down and picked up the seat cushion as an excuse to trace the patterns on it with her finger. 

“If it’s okay, I can go draw a bath for you.” The cowherd did his best to recover with the vast majority of awkwardness in the air. “I’ll... find something for you to wear too.” 

When Kaname received a silent nod in response he opened the shoji screen leading to the back engawa and slid it shut behind him. 

Gods, what did he get himself into. 

* * *

It was awkward, but Kaname was able to get through the bath without so much as looking at Kohaku. 

It’s not like the pink-haired girl didn’t want him to look at her, but because the bride needed help getting in and out of the tub he figured he’ll give her _some_ respect since there was no avoiding having to carry her. There was just one issue he had to bring up, otherwise he was not going to be getting _any_ sleep that night. 

“I couldn’t think of another way of saying this but, to put it bluntly you’re not a girl, are you Oukawa?” 

Kohaku looked up from the kosode Kaname was lucky enough to find and without missing a beat answered. “Yeah. Why?” 

The cowherd blinked once. 

Kohaku blinked back twice. 

‘ _I’m an idiot_.’ Kaname wanted to bang his head against the wall. The pink-haired _boy_ watched on from the tatami mat he was sitting on and picked at the loose threads on the fabric. His current kimono was a bit threadbare, but it wasn’t something he was unfamiliar with. 

But if Kohaku had a choice between wearing an old kimono his size or one of Kaname’s larger ones he wouldn’t mind drowning in the blue-haired man’s clothes.

Meanwhile Kaname seemed to be in the middle of having some kind of existential crisis. The signs were probably laid out all in front of him and he just swept it under the rug like some passing slasher! He was a fool! 

“And you didn’t think to tell me?” He asked, doing his best to hide any internal turmoil with his calm facade.

If Kohaku could puff up like a bird that’s exactly what he did. “I thought it was obvious!?”

 _‘Was it?’_ Kaname rubbed his face with his hands. It was a miracle he got through this entire day without having a heart attack. Luckily for him, even in this small town no one would question the seemingly younger boy staying with him. But marrying him? While it wasn’t frowned upon he still didn’t want to draw too much attention to himself.

It’s fine. This is fine. Kaname did his best to reassure himself but for now he just resigned to the fact he’s made a mistake. “I thought so too, but I suppose I’m just going to have to live with my past now.”

The suspicious noise Kohaku made didn’t help reassure him but he wasn’t going to waste all the effort he's put into hiding just to reveal his panicked state now.

“We haven’t eaten anything since this morning, do you want me to make something for you before I go to work?”

Bright lilac eyes lit up. “Yeah, I’m starvin’!”

The cowherd hummed in agreement. “I just ran out of rice so you’ll have to make do with what I can find. Is that okay?”

“Hooh? If that's the case I have somethin’ for ya~!” Kohaku picked up the outer layer of the shiromuku that he folded nicely on the table and dug through its layers only to bring out a small bag. He held it out to Kaname who stared at him in confusion with a smile. “Go on, take it!”

The blue-haired man took the bag and held it up to the light curiously. It was just a simple, hemp bag tied with a braided cord. Nothing suspicious about it. But when he untied it he was greeted to no more than two portions worth of dazzling, perfect grains of rice. “Oh, thank you. It's the right amount.”

“It gets even better.” The bride smirked up at him. And the cowherd raised a questioning eyebrow.

“What do you mean?”

When Kaname didn’t receive any further explanation he simply headed towards his small kitchen to cook. Strange.

“Ah, wait Kaname-han!” He stopped when he could hear Kohaku’s voice clearly through the shoji.

“Yes?”

There was a pause before he received a response. “Do you perhaps have a needle and thread I can use? I need to make some repairs.”

* * *

Toujou Kaname did not believe in ghosts. And he sure as heck did not believe in magic. But there wasn’t a single thing he learned back in the city that could explain what he just experienced. While cooking _rice_ of all things.

He set everything up the same as usual, rice, water, pot and fire, until he scooped the rice out of its bag. They were a nice quality rice, the even-sized grains practically sparkled like snow, but the problem was the two portions he took out now existed in two different places at once.

At first he thought he was just tired from everything that happened that day, but once he got to the fifth scoop he was still holding the same amount of rice in his hand and three scoops extra in the boiling water. Impossible. Absolutely impossible. There’s no way the bag Kohaku gave him had that much rice from the beginning. But here he was making enough to feed a small family.

“Oukawa.”

“Yes Kaname-han?”

“Am I miscounting or do we have five scoops of rice to eat?”

There was a pause but Kaname could faintly hear the pink-haired boy trying to stifle his laughter from behind the shoji screen. The cowherd made sure he covered the pot before he buried his face in his hands again. This was really too much for him, He was a person who held no fondness for the unexplainable, but not even the best of scholars could prove what trick a never-ending bag of rice used.

“Ko ko ko~♪! Did Kaname-han really put five scoops o’ rice in the pot? Astoundin’!”

If this were any other situation, Kaname would have loved to comment on how cute Kohaku’s laugh was. 

For some reason the blue-haired man wanted to rush into the other room just so he could see what the pink-haired boy looked like at the moment. Sure he was laughing at him, but his voice was clear and delicate, and it filled his whole house with a pleasant air. It was different from the normally quiet home he lived in. But enough daydreaming, he was still treading the line between sanity and insanity, and it was all his bride's fault.

 _Wait_. Hold on. The rational part of his brain stopped him. Kohaku was not _his_ bride. 

And he’ll never be…

Magic rice bag long forgotten, Kaname’s hand rested on the door frame for a moment before sliding it open again to see the pink-haired boy working vigorously on the kosode he lent him. He didn’t even look up at the other man even though he had a racket laughing at him a few moments ago. 

“Are my clothes really that bad that you need to remake them?”

“Mmm… no?” Lilac eyes darted between the stitches and the light green fabric in his hands. Since there wasn’t anything he could use to cut, Kohaku settled for snagging the thread with his teeth while he finished tying a small knot. “Jus’ thought a little fixin’ would make’em look good as new. See! Pretty spiffy if I do say so myself~♪.”

He passed the restored kosode to Kaname so he could start working on hemming the hakama. The cowherd ran his fingers along the tiny stitches and was pleasantly surprised to see it rivaled, no, maybe even surpassed the local seamstress in town. “Where did you learn how to sew?”

“Jus’ somethin’ I picked up a while ago…” The pink-haired boy mumbled with yet another piece of thread in his mouth. “So hurry back to yer herdin’ jobs. Ya don’t need to worry ‘bout me while I’m‘ere. I’ll make sure the rice won’t boil over.”

Kaname nodded in agreement. “When you’re done with that shall I help you put it on?” ‘ _Afterall, you deserve a little more than that musty old kimono that looks like it’ll fall apart._ ’

“Ya will? Thank ya kindly~♪”

While Kohaku continued to silently work on hemming the hakama the cowherd left to check on his herd. The boy looked like he’d be busy for a while, so Kaname thought he could leave him alone for a little bit.

* * *

Kaname could not leave him alone for a little bit.

“To think you were able to burn the rice while I was away. Kaname is stunned.”

“Don’t say it like that, ya make it sound like it’s rare!”

“But it is?” The blue-haired man looked down at the burnt bits in the pot and then to Kohaku. Usually he enjoyed eating scorched rice from the bottom, but not when all of it was pitch black and barely edible.

Kohaku scratched his cheek nervously and laughed. “So… it's a good thing we have an unlimited amount of rice then?”

“I suppose it is.” Dark chunks of rice and god knows what were tossed into a bucket to dispose of later. “Luckily for us, I ran into some of the older village ladies on my way back home. They apparently made too much sekihan so they gave me a share since I live alone. There’s also some sweets for us to snack on later, so we don’t have to remake anything today-”

He turned to see Kohaku had puffed up his cheeks and was apparently trying his best to make the pout look as threateningly as it could. Which in Kaname’s opinion, was absolutely adorable. 

“What's with that face? Don’t tell me you're getting jealous over something like _that_.”

“I’m not jealous!” The pink-haired boy huffed before bringing a hand up to play with his hair. “It's just- I think- ne’er mind!”

Kaname hummed and exited the room to look for two pairs of chopsticks and bowls. “Did you finish your sewing earlier? I can help you put it on now.”

“Maybe tomorrow.” Kohaku shook his head. He rubbed his arms through the sleeves of his worn kimono and sighed. Maybe it would’ve been better if he stayed in the heavy shiromuku. “I’ll jus’ use this one for nightwear so ya don’t haf’ta worry ‘bout me.”

“That won’t be necessary.”

What Kaname didn’t tell Kohaku was he might’ve lied. After chatting with the older women he managed to get some hand-me-downs when they offered him food. A lot of them never had daughters, so they were glad to pass on their garment's on to someone instead of letting them go to waste. Of course Kaname was just glad he was able to get something for Kohaku, but it didn't go without payment. The women had fun badgering him with questions when he told them he was no longer living alone and who was going to wear them.

Lilac eyes brightened the moment the blue-haired man passed him his rice bowl. A small smile graced his lips when he saw the food. “Sekihan huh? It’d be nice if it were the right occasion, but beggars can’t be choosers. Ko ko ko~♪.”

“If it’s too little don’t hesitate to ask for more. We have to finish it tomorrow or else it’ll go bad.”

“Got it~♪” 

Kaname grabbed his own bowl and sat down across from Kohaku. The pink-haired boy was waiting for him, chopsticks still on the table staring intently at him.

“Remember to give thanks to yer food or else the gods are gonna get upset and curse you, Kaname-han.

The blue-haired man’s hand froze and sudden realization he wasn’t eating alone anymore dawn on him. It’s been awhile since he ever gave his thanks out loud, and to suddenly have someone to share a meal with… it was nice.

“Thank you for the food then.”

“Yup, thank ya for the meal~♪!”

* * *

It's been a few days since Oukawa Kohaku showed up on the cowherd's doorstep on a cold, spring morning, and Toujou Kaname was getting used to life with the pink-haired bride.

The first night they spent together was a mess since Kohaku turned into a blushing newlywed after he found out they had to share a futon. Which didn’t make sense since sharing a bed should’ve been part of Kohaku’s intentions when he declared he wanted to marry him, but Kaname didn’t have the heart to tease him about it. After all, the blue-haired man had to calmly explain that one, there was no room for a spare bed, and two, he had to make sure the smaller boy was okay. 

But Kohaku was having absolutely none of it. The shorter male even went as far as to cling onto the living room table so he didn’t have to share with the cowherd. But the fact that Kohaku was adamant on sleeping on the floor until he was picked up and carried to the bedroom made the blue-haired man chuckle fondly at that memory.

They’ve gotten along better after the third night. It was awkward when they both woke up in each other's arms, but in the end they silently agreed if the other wanted a little more warmth in the middle of the night they were more than welcomed to indulge. Not that either had any complaints. The younger boy was far more warmer than the worn blanket Kaname normally used, and Kohaku wasn’t adverse to skinship so it was a win-win.

Speaking of skinship. Kohaku, Kaname found, enjoyed clinging to him whenever he could. 

He was standing in the kitchen with a few vegetables and the magic bag of rice when Kohaku hobbled towards him. Kaname had fun watching the internal debate Kohaku had with his expressions, but after a few seconds the boy resolved to grab Kaname's arm so he could lean against him easier.

“Did you need something Oukawa?”

Kohaku shook his head. But he nudged Kaname enough to make enough space between him and the counter so he could slip right in between them. His lilac eyes peered up at the cowherd as if he was daring him to tell him to make him move. “’m jus’ takin’ a break from weavin’.”

“Is that so.” Kaname chuckled at the rebellious display and maneuvered his arms around the pink-haired boy so he could comfortably slice a carrot. 

It was another mystery how Kohaku also knew how to weave, but Kaname figured it was a useful skill to have anyways. Although the boy didn’t look like the type who sat in front of a loom, when Kaname brought home cotton one day Kohaku turned it into cloth within a few days. Unfortunately, whenever the blue-haired man came home hoping to sneak a peek at how he did it, the boy had already rolled up the bolts and put them away so he could spend time with him.

Method aside, Kaname was pleasantly surprised to discover Kohaku’s weaving was absolutely stunning. It was only a week ago when the pink-haired boy handed him a folded piece of shining white cloth and told him he could sell it. And when Kaname brought it to a trader, he made ten times, no, maybe even twenty times more than what he anticipated. Now, Kaname had a bit more money to spend on the sweets he and Kohaku enjoyed before dinner. And it was all thanks to the hidden skill the pink-haired boy had.

“You’ve been clingy lately, don't tell me you're actually a ghost.” Kaname said, not really thinking where he was going with that. The cowherd put the knife he was using down so he could brush the rebellious strand of pink hair tickling him. He was intrigued to see the boy tilt his head back again, this time giving him a sly smile.

“If that’s true, then ya jus' admitted ghosts ’re real. Give me all of yer life force human, ko ko ko~♪.”

Kaname flicked the boy in the middle of his forehead as retaliation.

“Ow! What was that for!? I didn’t think ya wer’ the type to resort to violence Kaname-han!”

“Ah, I’m sorry. I couldn’t help it.” The taller man laughed and while Kohaku was rubbing his forehead muttering some plan to get his revenge. Kaname didn’t know why, but he pushed Kohaku's hand and light pink bangs away so he could kiss the spot he flicked tenderly. When his lips left the boy's forehead he was just as surprised to see Kohaku flushed red from his forehead all the way down to his neck.

“W-w-wh-wha-!?”

Kaname half-expected Kohaku to immediately push him back and call him some kind of idiot, but instead the boy seemed to have gone silent and settled for burrowing holes into the water basin with his eyes.

“That’s unfair, Kaname-han…”

“What is Oukaw-?” He couldn’t finish his sentence when Kohaku suddenly turned around and cupped the taller man's face in his hands so he could press his lips to his. It was a sloppy and inexperienced kiss, but it was also pure and full of every ounce of Kohaku’s feelings.

As much as Kaname wanted to wrap his arms around the boy and never let go, the kiss was already over and he was left staring into bright lilac eyes.

Kaname’s heart was beating so loud that he was sure Kohaku could hear it. But by the look on the other's face, he was probably worried about the same thing. They were quiet until Kaname got the courage to loop his arms around Kohaku's waist and Kohaku placed his hands against the taller man’s chest. The warm sunshine did nothing for the faint pink on their cheeks. And the last thing Kaname saw before closing his eyes was the pink-haired boy titling his back so he could lean down for another kiss.

“Who’s the unfair one now?” 

* * *

There were a lot of things that ran through Kaname’s mind when he was out in the grassy field herding cows, but this was the first time it’s ever been about another person. Also, it wasn’t surprising that person happened to be Oukawa Kohaku.

Ever since they kissed, the cowherd has been doing nothing but thinking about the pink-haired boy for the past week. Which he admits shouldn't be that usual, but still! Kaname felt his head turned into a mystery and Kohaku was waiting for him to solve it.

Kohaku was an incredibly naive person. And his innocence was borderline insufferable. But the fact that the cute boy could continue sleeping peacefully curled up next to Kaname was so sly, it almost felt intentional. It wasn’t _his_ fault every time the pink-haired bride mumbled something sweet to him in his sleep that his heart felt like it was going to burst. 

“Oww…”

The cowherd hit himself in the face when a particularly rowdy calf knocked into the stick he used for leading and he had to lean against the fence post to get his bearings. Great, how was he going to explain the bruise on his nose now.

He rubbed it hoping he could get the swelling to go down and sighed.

Watching the once wobbly calf run across the field with no problem reminded him of how Kohaku when they first met. But now Kohaku was able to walk around the house without so much as a sway in his step. And although Kaname knew the boy wanted nothing more than to stay with him, the deal he made in the beginning was expiring, and the expression Kohaku made when he saw the clean bandage last night was absolutely heartbreaking.

Kaname was going to have to bring it up sooner or later. But he had to find the right timing.

It was just a matter of how.

Closing the gate to the main herd, the blue-haired man made his way back home. He was barely in the doorway when Kohaku came running at him through the house and tackled him into a hug.

“Welcome back Kaname-han! How’s yer day been?”

“I’m back Oukawa. It's been fine.” Kaname was lucky he braced himself for the attack, otherwise the both of them would be lying on the dirt outside.

“That’s good.” Kohaku kept his hold on the cowherd’s kimono and continued rambling. “I was jus’ gonna tell ya some people from the village stopped by to deliver more stuff for weavin’. It’s nice that they’re givin’ me somethin’ t’do but sometimes I feel like I’ve been given a job I ne’er signed up for.”

The cowherd raised an eyebrow. “Then why not tell them to stop?”

“I would but-” The pink-haired boy’s voice trailed off into a mumble. “-but if I do then there won’t be anythin’ to stop you from tellin’ me t’leave.”

Kaname froze. He opened his mouth to say something but Kohaku cut him off with a nervous laugh.

“Forget I said anythin’, are ya hungry? I already made dinner for us so let’s eat b’fore it gets cold-'' Kohaku moved to let go of Kaname so he could escape into the house but was stopped when a hand grabbed him by the arm.

“Kohaku, there’s something we need to talk about.”

Bright lilac eyes stared straight at him in shock. It was the first time Kohaku heard the older man call him by his given name. His arm fell limp in Kaname’s grip, there was no use in trying to run from the inevitable. But that didn’t stop him from feeling hopeful. Kohaku’s heart was thumping loudly in his chest as he waited for Kaname to continue.

“What is it?”

Kaname felt like an absolute idiot. They said love made people do dumb things but he felt out of his element. He was glad he got Kohaku’s attention at least, but to be completely honest he had no idea how he was going about this. How could he clearly explain to Kohaku that he can no longer sleep without him in his arms. Or how he can’t go back to living by himself again. Kaname took in a deep breath. Here goes nothing.

“I’ve been thinking about the first time we met and-”

He felt Kohaku try to jerk his hand back and run.

“Recently I feel like things can’t go back to the way they were before.” Goldenrod eyes darted to the side and back to the pink-haired boy. “And part of it, is because I can’t imagine living without you next to me so-”

The look on Kohaku’s face was a mix of disbelief and joy. 

“Oukawa Kohaku,” Kaname finally met the younger boy’s eyes with his own. “Would you still be willing to marry a man like me?”

It took a second before a bright red blush bloomed across Kohaku’s face. “W-what the hell kinda question is that!?”

“Well you see, it's because I might have fallen in love with you and-”

Before Kaname could finish Kohaku pulled his face into his hands before kissing him lovingly on the lips. Shocked, Kaname eventually recovered from his stupor and smiled into the kiss. He wrapped his arms around Kohaku, feeling the tremors in the smaller boy's body slowly come to halt.

“Thank god, I thought my heart was gonna burst.” Kohaku sighed when they stopped to catch their breath. “I thought ya were gonna tell me I had to leave, but I can’t believe the gods are gonna let me be happy.”

“So is that a yes?”

“Ya really are a stupid man.” Kohaku was smiling from ear to ear. But that didn’t stop him from leaning up to kiss Kaname one more time. “I’ll say it as many times as y’want. After all-”

_I've loved you since we first met._

* * *

Surprisingly, or unsurprisingly enough, the weeks after they were married were the same as always. After all, someone still had to keep an eye on the cows, and fabric didn’t weave itself. The only difference was the good morning and good night kisses and everything snuck in between. And Kaname learned Kohaku was surprisingly shameless when it came to expressing affection.

It was a bright summer day and Kohaku was practically glowing when Kaname came home. It’s been at least a month since the two exchanged their vows and Kaname honestly never felt happier.

“What have you been up to?” Kaname asked before moving from the doorway to wrap his arms around the smaller boy's waist. He watched as Kohaku set the small table on the floor for dinner. He was lucky the younger boy managed to pick up some cooking skills so they didn’t have to eat burnt rice anymore (he received a complaint the other day that even though they had an endless supply it still wasn’t good to waste.)

“Nothing really,” Kohaku finished placing down their chopsticks and turned to nuzzle his face into Kaname’s neck. He kissed the others cheek before going back to arranging their meal. “The lovely ladies from the village thought I deserved a break since we got married, so I’ve been doing some personal projects. Why?”

“No reason.” The blue-haired man laughed. When Kohaku turned away he frowned when he felt the younger's arms. 

It was strange. While there was nothing inherently wrong with how Kohaku’s been acting, Kaname was growing concerned for the body of his newlywed ‘wife.’

Kohaku wasn’t weak. He was far from it, but recently he’s been getting thinner. Just the other day Kaname had to catch him from tumbling onto the ground when he wanted to take the futon they used out to air.

He heard Kohaku gasp when he interlocked their fingers so he could bring them up to his lips to kiss.

“What’s this? Didja want somethin’ else besides dinner Kaname-han?”

Golden eyes gleamed mischievously back into lilac. “And if that’s the case?”

“Ko ko ko~♪! Then I wouldn’t mind indulgin’ ya~.”

He was going to have to do some investigating.

* * *

It took a week but Kaname discovered for the past few nights Kohaku had been sneaking out of bed. And while Kaname wasn’t a detective, he liked to think he could be. He knew it was an invasion of the pink-haired boys' privacy, but since he was his husband he had every right to be concerned. No matter what Kohaku was hiding, it wasn’t worth getting weaker and weaker by the day. And Kaname didn’t like seeing the boy so exhausted.

The blue-haired man crept out of their shared bedroom and shuffled against the floor. There was a dim light coming from the living area where Kohaku liked to store his weaving materials and Kaname raised a questioning eyebrow. Surely the boy wasn’t weaving this late at night? He had all day to do it!

Kaname stopped just before the shoji screen so he'd be harder to spot. He leaned over just barely enough to see Kohaku sitting by the candlelight, humming a delicate tune that sounded like an old traditional song. 

The angle could’ve been better but Kaname was smart enough to recognize a piece of fabric in the pink-haired boy’s hands. And while it was something he’s never seen the bride make before, he knew there was something different that separated it from all the other garments he made. Something unearthly.

Kaname watched as white, glistening threads were woven expertly so they became opaque at a swipe of a needle. Watching him work was hypnotizing and the finished fabric looked so fluffy and warm. Kohaku lifted the garment up before letting out a triumphant noise, the finished piece looked like a cloud. The fabric feathered out at the end like a birds wing and the inside of the cloak was lined with red. Kaname would’ve been happy to leave his bride basking in his success, if only he didn’t see something he shouldn’t have.

And it wasn’t the cloak or Kohaku working secretly at night that was foreboding. It was Kohaku’s _arms_. Instead of the thin arms Kaname has been fretting over, in growing out of them were large, charcoal-tipped feathers. 

Kaname couldn't help but step back subconsciously. But when he did he made his foot land on a loose floorboard, making a loud creak echo down the hallway. Something in the pit of his stomach told him he made a big mistake. And the gods were probably laughing at him for getting involved in something humans had no place nosing around in.

There was no way Kohaku didn’t hear the sound because the boy immediately turned his head towards the noise and looked straight at Kaname’s direction. 

Even in the candlelight he could see his bright lilac eyes widen in shock, and the dark circles around them were outlined with red. Although it was brief, the flash of gold on the bridge of his nose highlighted the tears that threatened to fall down his flushed cheeks. The way his voice cracked made Kaname’s heartbreak.

“Kaname-han…”

“Oukawa, are you-?”

Kohaku stood up as fast as he could so he could run to Kaname and wrapped his arms around him tightly. Without saying a word, the pink-haired boy pulled the taller man down so he could press their lips together for a final kiss.

 _Final?_ Kaname didn’t know why but he had the sinking feeling this would be the last time he'll see Kohaku in this lifetime. There was a ringing noise in his ears and Kohaku was saying something he couldn’t hear. But the words “I’m sorry,” “I love you,” and "Goodbye," were on his lips.

_What do you mean? Where are you going?_

Kohaku removed his arms and draped the cloak he was holding around Kaname’s neck. It was a good thing he finished it tonight, otherwise he’d never forgive himself if he gave his beloved an unfinished garment. 

The pink-haired boy gave Kaname one last smile. One that scored itself into the cowherd mind forever. He had seconds before a sudden burst of light filled the room in a swirl of gold and feathers, and as if he was under some sort of spell, within seconds the human Toujou Kaname knew as Oukawa Kohaku became a beautiful crane.

“Wait.” Kaname felt like someone dumped a cold bucket of water on him. Every piece of the puzzle leading up to this revelation started to resurface from the back of his mind. White feathers and red string littered the floor. "Kohaku don't go!!”

But the door had already opened and the crane took off to the sky. And Kaname was left standing all alone in the room.

Once the shadow of the crane vanished into the moon the blue-haired man felt his knees shake before he collapsed onto the floor.

Every memory of his pink-haired bride came rushing in all at once. Every single one, from their first meeting, to their first meal, their first kiss, and their first "I love you's,"...

Kaname engraved every single one of them. 

He clutched the feathered cloak tied around his neck. Golden eyes looking determinedly out into the night sky. Rain started falling later that night, and Kaname remembered the cowherd who lost his weaver. Just as they couldn’t meet one night in the year they always had the next time.

And the next time, and the next time...

* * *

_A few months ago_...

“Poor thing...”

It was a cold winter's day when Kaname found the crane with a broken wing.

He almost missed it underneath his battered straw hat. With the bright white snow piled high on the fields near his home and the reservoirs he used for the village herd being frozen over it was a miracle, no it was probably destiny that he could see the feathery creature even though he was practically blinded with every breath he took.

“Shhh, don’t move too much. You’ll only make it worse.” He rolled up the worn sleeves of his kimono so he could take a strip of cloth he kept wrapped around his arms off.

Snow was stained red beneath the bird, but it didn’t deter the light blue-haired man from saving it. The makeshift bandage wasn’t as clean as he would’ve liked it, but Kaname wasn’t a doctor. The most he could do right now was stop the bleeding and bring the crane home to where it was warm.

Taking care of a crane was a little out of his comfort zone, but the cowherd wasn’t unfamiliar with animals. There’s a reason why he took the job in the first place. And while it wasn’t surprising if someone regarded him as one of the smartest in the province, the only reason why he wasn’t in a higher position serving the local samurai was because he’s solely dedicated his life to being a shadow.

“There. I’m sorry for making it a little tight. But if you could fly, you’d never come back- and I don’t want you to die from a wound like this.”

The crane stopped squawking and turned its beak to look at him. It’s usual dark eyes flashed purple before refocusing its attention on him before settling on the snow.

Strange. It was almost as if it could understand Kaname. He gathered the animal into his arms and held it against his chest in a feeble attempt to keep it warm. “My home’s just a little ways from here. You’re welcome to stay until you recover.”

After that, not once did the bird attempt to fly away. The worn haori Kaname had on earlier was wrapped snugly around the bird's body. And once the blue-haired man got home, the blood had already dried so he could brush the flakes off into the snow.

It took less than a month for the crane to recover. Kaname let it stay in his room where it was warmest and so he could keep an eye on it. It was a surprisingly clear day when he decided to let the bird go. The thin layer of snow meant the weather was warming and the steady winds were perfect for flying.

Little did Kaname know when he released the bird back to the blue, unwavering sky. The crane would be back to return the favor.

* * *

_A few hundred years later..._

“Hey.” The rustling of leaves and creaking tree branches were a peaceful melody if they weren’t accompanied by a dastardly voice. “Hey Kohaku-chan didja hear? I heard that yokai detective showed up ‘round ‘ere!”

Sighing, Kohaku looked up from his weaving to glare at the bright red-haired yokai. “Ya sure sound excited ‘bout him. Be careful how ya act Rinne-han, or Niki-han‘s gonna misunderstand somethin’ and eat yer head fer revenge.”

“Like I hafta worry about _that_. He should be more worried ‘bout _me_ eatin’ him.” Rinne laughed out loud. The yokai was leaning against a tree adjacent to Kohaku like a stunning picture of degeneracy. “Speaking of that guy... I haven’t seen‘m in awhile, so he must be still searchin’ for my next meal. I’m _staaaarrrving_!”

The crane rolled his eyes and went back to weaving. Kohaku’s already perfected the art of ignoring the moth's loud barking laughter so he hoped once he realizes he’s too busy to pay attention to him he’ll leave. He had far too much to do, and gossiping with the local insect god was the last thing on his list. 

To be honest the crane should be more cautious around the shinchuu since there have been a few unsavory rumors going around about him. But although Rinne was a well-known troublemaker, he’d never do something that’ll risk his promises. It was still unfortunate that the weaver and the moth didn’t get along with each other ever since that one incident.

Incident being when Kohaku saw one of his finished fabrics in Rinne’s mouth because the yokai’s instincts told him it looked delicious, Kohaku almost grabbed Niki to set that monstrosity on fire once and for all. But in the end, Kohaku made Rinne a lovely cape from the silk he gathered, and the insect god gave him a quiet place to work in return. So he was just a little bit grateful the leech was a somewhat decent spirit. But in all seriousness, doesn’t it seem like Rinne has _way_ too much time on his hands if he chose to hang around him? Didn’t he have a town to terrorize? Some unlucky yokai to drink with? Anything would be better than buzzing around the bird like a crazy bee.

Kohaku let out another deep sigh, this time not directed to Rinne, but at the garment in his hands. He’s been working on this particular piece of fabric for the last few weeks, and every time he thinks he’s finished he end’s up unraveling the whole thing and starts from the beginning again.

It wasn’t like he never made this type of fabric before either. Although it was from his own feathers, he really wanted to take the time to make sure it was perfect. However he couldn’t remember the last time he made something pure white with familiar red accents. Since his feathers used to be a part of him their quality reflects the time he spent with them. From the time when they grow in, to the time when they fall out there will be imperfections if he suffered just a small bit of misfortune. So it was better if he stayed in an environment that kept him happy. A place he could call home.

Which probably wasn't the case this round.

The crane looked down at the fabric and was a little sad to see the feathers weren’t holding up to the quality they used to be. Yes, it still glittered and shined when it was exposed to the light, and it was durable enough to stop a piercing arrow. But all he could think about was the cloak he made a long time ago. One made in a tiny house with fields of green, wrapped in a clear blue sky and a tender heart. 

A time before he left-

Something warm landed on Kohaku’s cheek and when the crane reached up to wipe it away he couldn’t stop another tear from falling onto the fabric. He was lucky the shiny white threads were dense enough that his teardrops rolled off and landed on his kimono instead.

“Oh, is the cool Kohaku-chan cryin’? I didn’t think ya were actually capable of doin’ that.” Rinne broke his silence and landed on the same branch Kohaku was sitting on.

“I have no idea what yer talkin’ ‘bout.” The smaller yokai rubbed his eyes on his sleeve and glared at the red-headed moth. Once he got his voice to stop shaking he was going to tell the stupid moth to buzz off until Rinne snatched the white fabric from his hands and held it up to the sunlight. 

“Hey! Give it back ya worm! Yer gonna dirty it!”

Whatever light passed through the trees shimmered and gleamed on the unfinished cloth. And although Kohaku was fully prepared to kill the bug for handling his weaving again, Rinne asked something surprisingly serious.

“Hey Kohaku-chan? This one looks a little different than the one ya made me.”

That wasn’t what the crane expected. “Well, yeah. That one’s made with my feathers, of course it’ll be different from what yer used to. Is there a problem?” 

Before the crane could think of eight ways to send Rinne to hell if he didn’t return it he was startled by the sudden shift of crystal blue eyes looking straight at him. “Uhh, R-Rinne-han?”

“So if I told ya I saw someone wearin’ one of these around, how would ya react?”

Kohaku stopped and took his time to think before answering. As much as he’d like to claim the insect god was just wasting his time there was no way someone could be casually walking around wearing something as valuable as a feather weave, he was the slightest bit curious. The red-crown who taught him how to make the weave was the only other bird who knew the technique, and while he could remember exactly who he’s given garments to, none of them received that shimmering white fabric lined with red. No one, except...

“Rinne-han. Who'd ya seen this on?”

The pink-haired yokai almost regretted asking when Rinne gave him the most cocky, shit-eating smirk. “Hmm, lemme think. Ah! It was that guy. Ya know, the one I was tellin’ yah ‘bout. The lower ranks kept gossipin’ ‘bout’em all day? Me..ru? Hime…? Eh, I forgot. But that guy goes ‘round to help yokai with human trouble so everyone’s been excited.”

Kohaku looked at Rinne like he grew two heads. “I never heard of that guy b’fore.”

The moth shrugged, his brightly colored kimono fluttered in the autumn wind. “I guess that makes sense. The guy’s been missing for a few hundred years or so. It was only recently that he’s been makin’ his round again. But yeah, I’ve seen‘em with one of these fluffy monsters wrapped around’em. Wanna check’em out?”

A wandering yokai that was missing for more than hundreds of years? Now Kohaku was getting more and more curious. He twirled the feather ornament in his hair. He’s barely seen any weaves his mentor created so this was the perfect chance to observe one up close. “Then take me to’em. I wanna see if what yer tellin’ me is the truth.”

“Have I ever lied to you?” Rinne scoffed, but his crystal blue eyes said something else. “Just follow me, I’ll show ya.”

As much as Kohaku didn’t want to be indebted to the moth, he nodded and the two took off through the woods until they came upon a clearing. The crane could hear the soft whispers of the lower-class yokai who were excited to ask for help, but he didn’t have the same motives as them. He needed to see if what the shinchu told him was true.

“Yo! Detective, I’m back.” Rinne landed on the leaf-covered ground, wings out and dramatically spread. The complicated patterns on the fluffy wings were one of the few charms points Kohaku liked about the insect god. Rinne discreetly motioned for Kohaku to stand behind him, making sure his wings blocked the crane from view. “Didja find a place to stay yet?”

“Not yet.” Kohaku had to strain his ears to hear the other yokais' voice. “But HiMERU has enough cases to keep himself busy while he’s here. What about you Amagi? What does a god want with a simple traveling spirit such as HiMERU? Humans should know better than to mess with you.” The trees rustling above them were getting louder as the wind whipped through them. 

Kohaku blinked at the sudden casualness. To think there was someone else out there who could get sassy with the forest god was unbelievable. He was about to lean forward a bit further until a fireball darted past him, circling Rinne in a panic.

“Rinne-kun! There’s trouble, some low-ranks are making a fuss about a stranger and- AHHHH! That’s him!!!”

A hand latched out to grip the swirling fireball getting it to shut up. “Niki-kyuuun, can’t yah see I’m a little busy here?”

The blue fireball nodded quietly before he was let go. Niki drifted behind Rinne and was surprised to see Kohaku staring wide-eyed at him.

“Oh Kohaku-chan! It’s been awhile, how’ve you been-!?!?” For the second time within ten seconds the floating spirit had another hand covering his mouth.

“Shhhh! Can’t ya see that I’m hiding!?” Kohaku hissed through his teeth.

Niki sighed before muttering to himself. “You and Rinne-kun, Kohaku-chan, you’re going to end up like him at this rate.”

“No way in hell!”

After a bit of shuffling and glare to keep the tiny ball of flame yokai quiet, Kohaku managed to find a place in the moth's wings he could peek through at HiMERU.

Doing his best to ignore the stupidly bright colors on Rinnes sleeves Kohaku could see the traveling yokai was wearing a dark green kimono and a simple straw hat. There were two small bells attached with bright red cords connecting them to the hat and they swayed back and forth every time the yokai moved. And that's when he saw it. 

Tied around the mysterious yokais neck was a snow white cloak lined with red. The feathered edges of the fabric hung down like a cape and if the sudden shift in the light confirmed Kohaku’s suspicions that it was indeed a crane’s feather weave the detective possesed.

The strange thing was, it didn’t look like his mentors. In fact it looked a bit familiar. It took a few seconds when realization dawned on him, and he noticed the goldenrod eyes looking straight at him.

“Kohaku?”

“K-Kaname-han...?”

“Hey what's wrong Kohaku-chan? Ya look like you’ve seen a ghost.” Rinne shifted his wings to hide the crane but the damage had already been done. The crane would’ve commented how out of character it was for Rinne to be so concerned for him, but he was distracted by his heart thumping loudly in his chest. “I mean, I guess you could argue we’re ghosts too, but there’s no fun being labeled like that.”

“I have to go.” The pink-haired yokai threw on his wataboshi and hiked up his kimono.

Niki who had been doing his best to stay quiet turned to Kohaku who looked like he was on the verge of panic. “Kohaku-chan, what’s wrong?”

“I have to go.” Kohaku repeated once more, his voice no louder than a whisper. He could already tell his face was starting to heat up, and his legs felt like they’ll give out at any moment. The crane in head was screaming at him to run, but his heart wanted to cry out in joy. How long has it been since he’s seen those golden eyes and light-blue hair? To be embraced by those larger hands and carried to a comfortable warm bed? Kohaku wanted it all back. But an unspoken rule ingrained in his head kept repeating itself over, and over, _and over again_.

In the end the crane took control over his body and bright white feathers sprung from his arms as he quickly changed into a crane.

“Rinne-kun, Kohaku-chan’s not listening!”

“I don’t get it.” Rinne looked absolutely furious. “Are you just going to run for the rest of your life!?” But his words fell on deaf ears when Kohaku immediately took off into the sky leaving a few feathers behind. He looked down to see the blue-haired yokai bend over to pick up a feather and twirled it in his fingers. 

As expected of a great detective, HiMERU was able to find the crane without wandering around aimlessly. But to think he’d find Kohaku so soon. Kaname had to thank HiMERU for this when he had the opportunity again. Afterall, he still wouldn’t be alive if it wasn’t for him.

He didn’t think running into the insect god would increase his chances in meeting him though, truly the gods must be on his side today. Light goldenrod eyes moved past the trees to the spot where Kohaku had flown off through. He chuckled to himself. This was the beginning of an exciting chase.

“Hey, don’t think I’ll let you leave without explainin’ yourself.” HiMERU turned around and was met face to face with a poison laced spear. The warmth on his back told him the fireball was also blocking his only escape route and if he tried any funny business he’d have to answer to the two of them.

Rinne narrowed his eyes when HiMERU started laughing. Despite being a god, he only had so much power within his domain. And killing off the wanderer would do nothing but bring him trouble. “Don’t worry, as much as _I_ have my own personal goals, HiMERU still has his jobs to do. There’s no need to be hostile.”

Goldenrod eyes took the sky. “I’ll tell you my story, if you let me stay here.”

Meanwhile Kohaku continued to fly further and farther across the sky until Rinne’s forest was just a tiny spec in the distance. His wings hurt from all the frantic beating but it was only until his instincts deemed he was safe that he finally came back to his senses. His heart cried out in pain, but the only noise that came from his beak was a sad honk. 

_Kaname-han_. What was Kaname still doing alive?

Part of him wanted to be happy, but he couldn’t without knowing the implications. He felt like an idiot. If he knew the human, Toujou Kaname, he fell in love with would end up as a yokai just like him then maybe he shouldn’t have shown up on his doorstep all those years ago.

The voices of the crane and Kaname-no _, HiMERU_ on that day in the snowy field echoed in his head on an endless loop. He batted his wings one more time, letting the wind take him the rest of the way.

Time, he needed time to figure out what he was going to do. But for now he wasn’t going to let Kaname catch up to him. Afterall...

Since Kohaku could fly…

_Could he ever go back?_

**Author's Note:**

> While I'm not saying these guys are gonna make an appearance soon in my other fic, they will eventually, aha...
> 
> But anyways, hope you enjoyed it! I'm aware there are things I don't explain completely but thats because I don't want to spoil TOO much. (READ EHK) If you have any questions/comments/kudos(?) feel free to leave them! I'll answer to the best of my abilities. I'm also sorry that ending isn't as happy as it should've been... but it'll be happy in ehk! Hopefully. _(:'3_/L)
> 
> I'll see you all later! Bye-bye~!!


End file.
